Day 197

 I was able to use my freshly serviced trimmer to clear the areas that would become the nature play area. It would encompass a portion of our backyard as well as a portion of the land down the hill. Once the land was cleared of tall grass, thistles, low branches, and assorted rocks, I started the process of woodchipping. Wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow was brought over chips to fill up a rock-lined area around our climbing down. I practiced making tree cookies with my chainsaw and added them to the area. Besides the climbing dome, some friends offered to donate the playset their children (and former students of mine) had outgrown. We already had a playset in our immediate backyard, but it occasionally became a point of contention for the kids. This “new” playset would expand their play options and add some diversity to  our backyard. Though it took a full day of taking the playset apart, transporting it to our backyard, and then trying to figure out how to reassemble it, the previous owner and I got the playset up and running. 

Once it was up, I had more of an area to clear of weeds before adding more chips. One section inside the larger chipped area was outlined with branches and left unchipped. This would be the area for a future sandbox. My intentions are to line the potential sandbox with vertically cut, partially buried branches of dead ash.

Before the sandbox was put together, I also wanted to find ways to improve the area that connected our backyard to our wetland. I had already begun the process of having this area be the beginning of our trail. But in the flatter upland area that we know was drier, we had plans to create prairie and a more expanded nature play area. I would chip this area as well before placing larger logs and larger stumps I call tree tables. To help with plant control in this area, I decided to lay down old restoration tarps previously used for killing off grass. 

As I worked in this area, my wife brought up a very interesting idea to make the play area even more playful.